Earth Names and Wi´-gi-es
It was stated (see p. 33) that earth names as well as sky names were used by both the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga and the Wa-ça´-be gentes as distinctive birth names for their children.
In the course of a conversation concerning the gentile names, classed as sky and earth names, Wa-xthi´-zhi, of the Puma gens, remarked that: When the Hoⁿ´-ga people were coming from the sky to the earth they chose two persons (gentes) to act as official messengers. One of these persons was called Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi, The-sacred-one-from-the-stars, and the other Hoⁿ´-ga Wa-ṭse-ga-wa, The-sacred-radiant-star. These messengers were expected to find some way of dispersing the waters that submerged the earth and of exposing the ground beneath so as to make it habitable for all living creatures.
Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi and Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, the two messengers, found on the still waters the water spider, the water beetle, the white leech, and the dark leech, of whom they asked for aid which they could not give, but promised to help the people to reach old age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 163, lines 200 to 273.) The two messengers went on and they met O´-poⁿ-ṭoⁿ-ga, the Great Elk, and appealed to him for aid. The Great Elk threw himself upon the waters four times and splashed about until the ground was exposed and ready to receive men and animals. He then called to the four corners of the earth for the life-giving winds to come. Next he threw himself upon the ground and rolled about; then, as he arose, the hairs of his body clung to the soil and became the grasses of the earth. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 165-167, lines 274 to 354.)
The two messengers then led the people over the dry land of the earth, when suddenly Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi, The-one-from-the-stars, came upon Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga, the Puma. The messenger then changed his name from Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi to Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga. In like manner the Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, the Radiant Star, came upon Wa-ça´-be, the Black Bear. The Radiant Star then changed his name from Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa to Wa-ça´-be, the Black Bear.
These were the first earth names of the two related gentes, the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga and the Wa-ça´-be. Wa-xthi´-zhi mentioned several other personal earth names of these two gentes but he suggested that the parts of the rituals given by himself and Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ (pl. 5), in which are mentioned the earth names, be referred to as authoritative, and so the following paraphrases of those parts of the rituals are here given.
EARTH NAME WI´-GI-ES
(Wa-xthi´-zhi)
The people spake to one another, saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage.
Then, at that very time,
The Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa (Hoⁿ´-ga-radiant-star),
Went forth with hurried footsteps
To the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga do-ga, (male puma),
With whom he stood face to face and spake,
Saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage, O, grandfather.
The Male puma replied: I am a person whom the little ones may use as a symbol of courage.
The brothers spake in low tones,
Saying: He is a puma, O, younger brothers,
Let us take personal names from him;
Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga-ṭoⁿ´-ga, the Great-puma,
Shall be our name, O, younger brothers;
Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga-zhiⁿ-ga, the Young-puma,
Shall be our names, as we travel the path of life.
The Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, Radiant-star,
Went forth with hurried footsteps,
To the Wa-ça´-be, the Black-bear that is without blemish,
Who stood as in a flame of fire.
The Radiant-star spake to him, saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of their courage.
Wa-ça´-be replied: I am a person whom the little ones may use as a symbol of their courage.
The brothers spake to one another, saying: He is a black bear!
He is very dark in color!
Let us take from him personal names.
Sha´-be-ṭsi-gthe, the Dark-one,
Shall be our name henceforth, as we travel the path of life.
You have found the Dark-one, O, younger brothers,
Sha´-be-i-the, Finder-of-the-dark-one,
Shall be our name, henceforth, as we travel the path of life.
Look you, O, younger brothers, they said to one another,
The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage.
Then they went forth in a body to an open prairie,
Where sat Mi´-xa-çka, the Great-white-swan.
Face to face they stood with him and spake,
Saying: The little ones have nothing to use as a symbol of courage, O, grandfather.
The brothers spake in low tones, saying: O, younger brothers,
We shall take from him personal names.
How white he is! the younger ones exclaimed,
He is a bird,
A white swan.
Mi´-xa-çka, the White-swan,
Shall be our name, O, younger brothers.
How white he is! they again exclaimed,
Wa-zhiⁿ´-çka, the White-bird, shall also
Be our name, O, younger brothers.
—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 194-195, lines 1063 to 1115.)
Earth names mentioned in the origin wi´-gi-e given, by Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ.
Wi´-gi-e of the Wa´ṭse-gi-ṭsi
HE-WHO-CAME-FROM-THE-STARS
What said they? it has been said, in this house,
The people spake, saying: O, younger brothers,
We are a people who give no mercy to the foe.
Then they spake to the one (gens) who had made of the Puma his body,
Saying: O, younger brother.
Hardly were these words spoken when the Puma hastened forth.
After a time the people said: There are signs that our brother is returning.
Then some of the brothers ran to meet him.
To their inquiry the Puma replied: O, elder brothers,
Yonder stands a man,
Verily, a man whose appearance inspires fear,
A man who is like us in form.
The people spake, saying: O, younger brother,
We are a people who show no mercy to the foe.
Whoever this man may be,
We shall send him to the abode of spirits,
We shall make him to lie low.
Then toward the man they hastened:
They made one ceremonial pause.
At the fourth pause,
The Puma exclaimed: There he stands!
It is well, the people replied,
We shall send him to the abode of spirits.
Then, at that very time,
The stranger spake, saying:
I am a sacred man, O, elder brothers.
The Puma spake, saying:
He speaks clearly our language!
I am Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi, a sacred person come from the stars, the stranger continued.
I am Zhiⁿ-ga´-ga-hi-ge,[1] The-young-chief;
I am Wa´-ṭse-ga-hi-ge, The-star-chief;
I am Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, The-star-radiant;
I am Wa´-ṭse-moⁿ-iⁿ, The-traveling-star.
That pleases us! the people exclaimed.
Zhiⁿ-ga´-ga-hi-ge, The-young-chief, the stranger went on,
Shall be your name, as you travel the path of life;
Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, The-star-radiant,
Shall also be your name, as you travel the path of life.
I have done much to make you contented and happy.
We are pleased! the people exclaimed,
We shall henceforth put away all anger and hatred,
We shall accept the names thus offered us.
Zhiⁿ-ga´-ga-hi-ge, The-young-chief,
Shall be our name,
Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, The-star-radiant,
Shall be our name.
I´-e-çka-wa-the, He-speaks-clearly,
We shall also take as a name in his honor,
P̣a´-thiⁿ-hoⁿ-ga, The-sacred-stranger,
We shall also take as a name in his honor.
Mi´-xa-çka, the white swan from whom personal names were taken, as mentioned in the following wi´-gi-e given by Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ, is a warrior symbol. The black color on its feet and on the tip of its nose typifies the fire that knows no mercy. The standards (crooks), which were carried by an Osage war party (pl. 6, a), typify the neck of the white swan.
MI´-XA-ÇKA, THE WHITE SWAN
The people spake to one another, saying:
We have nothing of which to make a symbol (war standard).
They spake to the Puma (gens), saying:
Go thou and make search (for materials).
Even as these words were spoken the Puma went forth to search.
In time he hastened homeward,
And, standing before the elder brothers, he spake, saying:
O, elder brothers, what appears to be an animal,
Is in yonder place.
Make haste! the people said to one another,
We shall send him to the abode of spirits.
Verily, we are a people who give no mercy to the foe.
They made one ceremonial pause,
The fourth pause brought them close to the place.
Then the Puma spake, saying: There he stands! O, elder brothers.
An elder brother pointed with his index finger at the bird,
And it fell to the ground in death, its feathers strewing the earth.
They gathered around the fallen bird and stood.
Then one spake, saying: It is a swan! O, elder brothers,
A white swan!
Even from its white plumage
We shall take personal names,
Mi´-xa-çka, White-swan,
Wa-zhiⁿ´-ga-çka, White-bird,
And Moⁿ´-shoⁿ-çka, White-feathers,
The little ones shall be named, as they travel the path of life.
—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 228-231, lines 238 to 358.)
The earth names given by Wa-xthi´-zhi, of the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga (Puma) gens, in his wi´-gi-es are as follows:
1. Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga-ṭoⁿ-ga, the Great-puma.
2. Inⁿ-gṭhoⁿ´-ga-zhiⁿ-ga, the Young-puma.
3. Sha´-be-ṭsi-gthe, the Dark-one.
4. Sha´-be-i-the, Finder-of-the-dark-one.
5. Mi´-xa-çka, the White-swan.
6. Wa-zhiⁿ´-çka, the White-bird.
The earth names given by Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ of the Wa-ça´-be (Black Bear) gens in his wi´-gi-es:
1. Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi, He-who-came-from-the-stars.
2. Zhiⁿ-ga´-ga-hi-ge, Young-chief.
3. Wa´-ṭse-ga-hi-ge, Star-chief.
4. Wa-ṭse´-ga-wa, Star-radiant.
5. Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ, Traveling-star.
6. I´-e-çka-wa-the, He-speaks-clearly.
7. P̣a´-thiⁿ-hoⁿ-ga, The-sacred-stranger.
8. Mi´-xa-çka, White-swan.
9. Wa-zhiⁿ´-ga-çka, White-bird.
10. Moⁿ-shoⁿ-çka, White-feather.
The following earth names, not specifically mentioned by Wa-xthi´-zhi, also appear in the wi´-gi-es recorded by himself and by Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ. These names are also regarded as sacred and are ceremonially bestowed upon the children of the Puma and Black Bear gentes:
WA-XTHI´-ZHI
1. Moⁿ´-hiⁿ-çi-i-ba-btho-ga, Round-handled-knife. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 206, line 1399.)
2. Monⁿ´-hiⁿ-hoⁿ-ga, Sacred-knife. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 207, line 1424.)
3. Moⁿ-hiⁿ-zhu-dse, Red-knife. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 208, line 1439.)
4. The fourth name given by Wa-xthi´-zhi (Noⁿ-be´-wa-koⁿ-da, Mysterious-hand) does not appear in any of the wi´-gi-es given either by himself or by Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ. However, the Mysterious-hand is spoken of by both of these men in their conversations concerning the rites, and is referred to in some of the wi´-gi-es. (See 36th Ann. Rept., p. 230, lines 323 to 340.) The story of the Mysterious-hand, as told colloquially, is that when the people came from the sky to the earth they had no weapons, but they killed animals by moistening the index finger of the right hand with saliva and pointing it at them. This name is also bestowed ceremonially.
WA-ṬSE´-MON-IN
1. Miⁿ´-ṭse-xi, Sacred-robe. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 235, line 510.)
2. Noⁿ´-ḳa-dsi-wiⁿ, Spine-woman. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 235, line 512.)
3. Ṭse´-p̣a´-ga-xe, Buffalo-head-maker. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 235, line 518.)
4. Moⁿ´-hiⁿ-zhu-dse, Red-knife. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 237, line 573.)
5. Moⁿ´-hiⁿ-hoⁿ-ga, Sacred-knife. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 237, line 576.)